Our top picks for tracking your fitness and your spending

We’re excited to be sponsoring and taking part in the 2021 South Australian Game On Corporate Cup, a walk/run competition that aims to incentivise South Aussie businesses to build health, well-being, and camaraderie in their workforce.

To help us get prepared and pumped up for the next three months of Game On Corporate Cup competition we’ve put together a list of our favourite fitness and wellbeing apps and smartwatches. Some are simple, and others go the extra kilometre to give you lots of data about your workouts and overall health. We’ve tried to include something for everyone’s price point and fitness level.

Our top fitness and wellness apps

We live in a world where smartphones and smartwatches are everywhere, so it makes sense to use them to help achieve our fitness goals and improve our health and wellbeing.

Here’s a look at some of our favourites:

Our top running apps

1. Couch to 5km

Are you new to running? Then this app is perfect for you. As the name suggests, it’s all about taking you from a couch potato to a 5km star runner. Features include:

• three 30 minute workouts per week to get you ready for a 5 km run in only nine weeks
• distance and time tracking using GPS
• the ability to choose your own virtual coach to help you throughout your workouts.

2. Map My Run

An app that has stood the test of time, Map My Run not only tracks your runs but also allows you to find new running routes. Features include:

• tracking and mapping your run, time, speed, and total distance (including real-time stats and end of run totals)
• the ability to search for new running routes, no matter where you are (over 70 million routes to choose from)
• compatibility with hundreds of other apps and devices, allowing you to sync your data with your Apple Watch, Garmin, Fitbit, and My Fitness Pal etc.

2. Strava

Strava is 'Instagram for runners'. It takes the social features of Instagram and pairs it with activity tracking technology. Features include:

• tracking measurements for distance, speed, elevation, calories burned, heart rate, and cadence
• the ability to take part in challenges with other users and friends – great motivation for competitive runners
• a safety feature called Beacon, which allows up to three people to know where you are running (they don't need to have the app or be Strava members, either).

Honourable mentions: Nike Run Club, Runtastic, Runkeeper.

Our top wellness app

Headspace

Headspace, a meditation and mindfulness app, offers a gentle introduction to meditation by starting you off on a free ‘Take10’ program, which gives you the chance to meditate for just 10 minutes a day over 10 days. Other features include:

• guided breathing and visualisation exercises
• tailored options for those who suffer from anxiety or experience panic attacks.
• meditations for sleep and focus

Honourable mentions: Calm, Stoic, Shine.

Our favourite smartwatches

Smartwatches have gone from displaying your smartphone notifications and calls to tracking your exercise, heart rate, and even locating your phone when it’s missing (very useful) plus much more.

It was tough to narrow down our favourite smartwatches to just three, but we decided to choose the smartwatches that will not only help us in the Corporate Cup in terms of tracking and mapping our exercise but also, the smartwatches that have the ability to tap and pay (yes, we’re finance nerds).

Without further ado, here’s a look at a few of our favourites:

1. Apple Watch SE

Although a lot of people would argue that the Apple Watch Series 6 is better, we liked the price point of the SE much more, especially since it has most of the same features. Features include:

• the same iconic design and large display as Apple Watch Series 6
• exercise analytics including distance, pace, laps, cadence, calories burned, and heart rate. And an always-on altimeter that lets you see your elevation changes in real-time as you climb up or down
• the ability to make purchases with Apple Pay^* in stores that accept contactless payments. It’s the cashless, effortless, and safer way to pay.

2. Samsung Galaxy Watch 3

Known for having the most advanced health monitor on a Samsung smartwatch, it’s no surprise this model made our list. Features include:

• red LED and infrared rays that estimate your SpO2 levels, or the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream,
• a running guide gives you tips on the go and analyses how you move to help improve your form, and
• the ability to make contactless payments with Samsung Pay^{^} and to use your loyalty cards and tap for transit on Sydney's Opal network.

3. Fitbit Versa 3

More focused on fitness than Apple and Samsung, Fitbit gives you a great range of fitness features at a more affordable price. Features include:

• built-in GPS to track – in real-time – the pace, distance, and intensity of your walks, runs, bike rides or hikes,
• the ability to store and play music and podcasts on Deezer or Pandora and control Spotify from your wrist, and
• the ability to access your credit and debit cards anywhere with Fitbit Pay^%. All from your wrist.

Honourable mentions: Garmin Venu 2, TicWatch Pro 3.

Remember to stay safe

The rise in apps and smartwatches means more of us are giving over access to our personal information, which means more opportunities for fraudsters.

So it’s always important to make sure you follow the tips below.

For more information about how to keep yourself safe check out our Security Centre.